The present invention pertains to rechargeable dispensing apparatus, such as fire extinguishers, and deals more particularly with improvements in fire extinguishers of the type wherein the extinguishing liquid is stored and dispensed under its own pressure from an enclosed container.
Fire extinguishing apparatus which employ the pressure of the liquid applied to recharge the dispensing container for also pressurizing the latter to allow dispensing of the liquid under pressure are generally known in the art. The use of this type of apparatus is attractive because need for dedicated facilities for introducing a pressurizing medium, such as a gas, into the container in order to pressurize the extinguishing liquid, is eliminated. Heretofore however, fire extinguishers of the mentioned type have been rather complex in construction inasmuch as separate structure was required for the recharging and dispensing functions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,105 to DiPerna discloses a rechargeable dispenser suitable for use as a fire extinguisher which requires a pair of valve mechanisms to respectively permit introduction of the liquid into the container, and dispensing of the liquid during use of the apparatus; an orifice specially configured to receive a filler pipe places a recharging source of liquid in communication with the interior of the container via a spring biased ball valve which is dipensed within the interior of the container. The DiPerna apparatus, however, is less than completely satisfactory in several respects; the ball valve mechanism is rather large, and being disposed within the container, displaces a volume of liquid therewithin, thus reducing the effective capacity of the container. Also, the ball valve is rather structurally complex and tends to be more vulnerable to the effects of wear with use, and deterioration, due to contact with the surrounding liquid. The structural arrangement shown by DiPerna requires that the apparatus be held in a specific position during use, so that the pickup tube within the container remains below the liquid level, whereby only the liquid, rather than the air compressed thereby, is allowed to escape; this limitation is particularly serious in connection with the use of the apparatus as a fire extinguisher, since persons untrained in the use and operation of such extinguishing apparatus, particularly in an emergency situation, may not appreciate that the apparatus must be held in a special position for operation.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a fire extinguisher apparatus which may be easily operated and recharged without special knowledge or skill on the part of the user, yet which is especially reliable in operation owing to simplicity of construction and the ability to pick up liquid within the container for dispensing thereof, regardless of the position in which the apparatus is held by the user.
According to the present invention, a generally spherical, pressure-tight container includes an orifice in communication with a single faucet-type assembly which is adapted to interchangeably couple with a filler pipe such as an ordinary garden hose, or a flexible dispensing hose and nozzle combination. The container may be simply recharged by coupling the filler pipe to the faucet assembly and manually opening the faucet valve, whereupon the source of extinguishing liquid is placed in communication with the interior of the container and flows into the latter until pressure equalization occurs, at which time the valve may be closed to retain the confined liquid in a pressurized condition within the container. The filler pipe is then replaced with the dispensing hose, and a user may proceed to operate the apparatus by opening the faucet valve and directing the ensuing outflow of liquid using the dispensing hose and nozzle. A flexible pickup tube coupled with the faucet assembly is moveably trained within the container and has the free open end thereof weighted to be readily shifted, under the influence of gravity along with any remaining liquid within the container, whereby to always assume a pickup position beneath the liquid level, regardless of the position which the user holds the apparatus.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a rechargeable, liquid dispensing apparatus having a manually operable valve assembly in communication with a pressure-tight liquid container for allowing introduction of liquid into the container to recharge the apparatus, and for rendering the apparatus operable to dispense liquid contained under pressure therewithin. As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is a further object to provide a single, especially simple valve assembly which is adapted to interchangeably couple with a filler pipe for recharging the apparatus, and with a hose member for dispensing the liquid during use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus which reliably and consistantly dispenses liquid from container associated therewith, regardless of the position in which the container is disposed. In connection with the foregoing object, it is a further object to provide dispensing apparatus of the mentioned type having a spherically shaped liquid container provided with a flexible pickup tube moveably disposed therewithin which is adapted to follow the contour of the container as the latter is shifted in position, whereby the pickup tube remains below the level of the liquid to assure that the remaining liquid, rather than pressurizing gas, is dispensed.
A further object of the invention is to provide liquid dispensing apparatus in which valve means for operating the apparatus are disposed exterior of the liquid container whereby to maximumize the volume of liquid which may be stored and dispensed.
Other and further objects of the invention will be made clear or become apparent in the course of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.